ST. LOUIS (KMOV) -- A fire that broke out in an old warehouse in downtown St. Louis, just before noon on Thursday, was fully extinguished Friday morning after crews fought the fire for nearly 19 hours.
Fire crews battled the major 5-alarm blaze that burned a commercial-style building and, Thursday night, firefighters stated concerns that the building could collapse.
Fire officials said the two top floors of the building, in the 700 block of 2nd Street in Chouteau's Landing, caught fire sometime between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. Authorities said the building is a six-story, warehouse, formerly the Crunden Martin Manufacturing Co. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is owned by an attorney who founded a development company which is redeveloping a large area of Chouteau’s Landing.
When firefighters arrived, flames and smoke were seen shooting from the top two floors. Two departments responded to the scene initially, but a third department with a hazmat team was dispatched a short time later. Fire officials said two additional fire crews were called to the scene, making the blaze a five-alarm fire.
There were several explosions, and part of the roof collapsed on the building.
About 200 firefighters battled the blaze, pouring thousands of gallons of water into the building; workers in an adjoining building were evacuated because of fears that the fire would spread.
The building has been vacant for about five years, which leads fire investigators to believe the cause is suspicious.
Fire crews finally wrapped up their operation around 6 o'clock Friday morning.
No injuries were reported.
